Botanical classification: Rosa hybrida.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99.
The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of garden rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between a female parent, xe2x80x98POULnilxe2x80x99, described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,301 issyed Dec. 3, 2002, and the male parent, an unnamed seedling. The two parents were crossed during the summer of 1999 and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. The new variety is named xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99.
The new variety may be distinguished from its seed parent, xe2x80x98POULnilxe2x80x99 by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The seed parent, xe2x80x98POULnilxe2x80x99 is Orange-Red Group 31A and 31B as sepals unfold. xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 is Yellow Group 3D with intonations of Orange Group 24C as sepals unfold.
2. While the seed parent, xe2x80x98POULnilxe2x80x99 has an average flower diameter of 65 to 75 mm, xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 has an average flower diameter of 50 mm.
3. While the seed parent, xe2x80x98POULnilxe2x80x99 has a petalage count 16 to 19 petals. xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 has a petalage count of 80 petals.
The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, an unnamed plant, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The pollen parent has light red to pink flowers. The same of xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 are Red Group 55D to 56D.
2. The pollen parent has a petalage count of 18 to 22 petals, while xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 has a much larger petal count of 80 petals.
The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety was to create a new and distinct product for the floral industry with unique qualities, such as:
1. Uniform and abundant light pink flowers;
2. Vigorous, but compact growth when propagated both as a budded rose and on its own roots;
3. Disease resistance.
This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type, known to the inventors, and distinguish xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 from all other varieties of which we are aware.
As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization during winter 1999 and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.
xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 was selected in the spring 2000 by the inventors as a single plant from the progeny of the aforementioned hybridization.
Asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 by traditional budding and rooted cuttings was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in their nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark in July, 2000. This initial and other subsequent asexual propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of xe2x80x98POULac018xe2x80x99 are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.